With this BC Government announcement an agreement to extinguish mineral tenures within the ecologically sensitive Skagit Watershed on Silverdaisy Mountain, a momentous and historic step forward in the stewardship of the Upper Skagit watershed has been achieved.
Since the High Ross Treaty between Canada and the United States was signed in 1984, the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission and many governments and non-governmental organizations and individuals in both Washington State and British Columbia, have been working diligently to safeguard the natural beauty and integrity of the Skagit Watershed and its vital ecosystem.
The protection of the Skagit Watershed is paramount as this area provides a critical corridor for a great number of species at risk, including Chinook salmon, which are vital to the survival of the endangered Puget Sound Southern Resident Orcas.
The collaboration and support of the governments of British Columbia, Washington State, City of Seattle, including Seattle City Light, Nlaka’pamux, Stó:lō, Syilx, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, the Swinomish Tribal Community, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, Non-Government Organizations, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, has made achieving this milestone possible. Together, we can collectively shape the future in the continued protection of this vital ecosystem.”
SEEC views this is an example of international cooperation that sets a strong precedent for the US and Canada to collaborate for the protection of precious transboundary ecosystems.
What is a Donut Hole anyway?
In this case it is an area of unprotected public lands amid surrounding park status lands.
When the Manning Park boundary lines were re-drawn in the 1980’s, this area of Silverdaisy mountain was left out of the park because of mining tenures here. On the one side of this Donut Hole is Manning Park and on the other is Skagit Valley Provincial Park. A company called Imperial Metals currently owns most of the mining tenures If that name sounds familiar to you, it is because it has been in the news quite a lot for the past number of years following an environmental disaster at their Mount Polley mine near Quenel Lake.
In early summer, 2018, we learned that BC Timber Sales had plans to log in the Donut Hole and was actually working at it already. This tip-off from a hiker who asked the question. “What’s happening?”. Tom Perry and Ken Farquharson outlined the extent to which this was unacceptable in an informative, Vancouver Sun Op-Ed. What followed was an ever escalating awareness campaign supported by an ever growing crowd of supporting individuals and organizations!
Many organizations continue to advocate aggressively to ensure a transition to protected status for the Donut Hole.
- Canada: Wilderness Committee has a strong presentation of maps, images and opportunities to get involved here.
- USA: Downstream organizations are organized at this Washington Wild site with much information and opportunities to get involved.
Questions?
SEEC Canada Chair, Thomas Curley, (604) 763-1245, [email protected]
SEEC USA Chair, Leo Bodensteiner, (360) 715-9143, [email protected]
Video by Jesse Kuhn